While we all continue to keep up with the ever-evolving world of school security, we are constantly presented with new and possibly unfamiliar vocabulary. One that is most familiar among students and parents is “lockdown.” Whether schools are participating in drills or have to implement a real-life...

The lockdown drill addresses school security issues at the forefront of parental concerns. Many states now mandate multiple lockdown drills each school year to teach students and staff members how to handle emergencies. Most parents did not experience lockdown drills during their academic years....

For more than two decades, I have worked in the law enforcement and security consulting profession, including several years as a school resource officer (SRO). As an SRO, I worked in five schools that housed all grade levels from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. 

My job as a security assessor has given me many opportunities to observe and critique safety and security measures that are being put in place in many different settings. With violent crime continuing to rise throughout the country, safety and security measures remain at the forefront of our minds....

Focusing on a parent’s role in school security has been a top priority for me in recent years as I have taken on the role of motherhood. Having a stepson in middle school and a toddler who will soon be school aged, I look for ways parents can be involved in making the school environment as safe as...